Doesn’t matter how many times I watched the movie Jaws, every scene with a shark attack gives me pure anxiety to this day.
The ocean remains the most unexplored area on Earth, with deep sea creatures and predators straight from a horror movie.
However, the number one predator remains the great tiger shark. These wild predators give me goosebumps and I’m sure I’m not the only one.
Although I enjoy swimming and surfing, I hope never to encounter these majestic ocean predators.
While scrolling through the internet the other day, I stumbled upon a video that I had to share with you, so buckle up for some amazing tips!
Kayleigh Nicole Grant is a professional diver from Kailua-Kona, Hawaii. She spends every day in the ocean, exploring underwater caves and the great ocean depths. While most of us fear the tiger sharks, Kayleigh spent her life swimming around them!
She studied these wild water predators her entire life and if you want to know how to handle an approaching shark in the open ocean, she’s the person with all the right answers.
Kayleigh recently took it upon herself to demonstrate to her followers on what to do while swimming in shark-infested waters.
Her number one tip is not to panic! Well, easier said than done am I right? However, this is crucial for the shark to not perceive you as prey.
Tiger sharks will consider you as injured pray the moment you start panicking and splashing around. This is why Kayleigh emphasizes the importance of remaining calm. As she said in the video:
“Sharks are wild animals and apex predators, so when we act like prey by splashing, panicking, and swimming away it can trigger their prey response.”
In the video Kayleigh and her colleague demonstrate the right way to handle a tiger shark. In addition to staying calm, Kayleigh’s advice is to face the shark and place something in between you and the predator.
It could be your swimming gear, your GoPro camera, or even your hand. Gently placing your hand on top of the shark will force it to swim away. As she also mentioned:
“Face the animal and stop splashing. Maintain eye contact, put something between you and the shark, or if you need to push your hand on top of the head guide them away from you.”
Remaining calm in situations like these may be your only way to get away safely from this wild predator.
Kayleigh also emphasizes the importance of understanding that the ocean is the shark’s home and we should always enter it with caution.
Although I hope you remain safe and sound during your surf and swimming trips, knowing these tips could be a lifesaver. If you want to know more about tiger sharks, make sure to follow Kayleigh over on Instagram!